These children had to fight their way to get to a safe place. They left behind their families, homes and comfort to avoid the Boko-Haram like violence in Chad, Cameroon, Nigeria and Niger.
Some of them were being chased after, they risked their lives, crossed forests, deserts and swamp with or without barely anything under their heals.
There is only one thing among them in common except hunger and homelessness- the stood against the violence and broke free from it.
#1
“These slippers hurt me all the time, they’re too thin. I’d love to have real lady’s shoes” Sarah Tu, 15 Nigerian refugee in Chad.
#2
“All the way here, I had to carry my little brother on my back because he could not walk as he had a foot infection. When we arrived in Chad, my mom sold some of her belongings to buy us new shoes”. Kaltouma Ali, 11, Nigerian refugee in Chad.
#3
“It was a hard journey, hot during the day and cold during the night. I broke my slippers on the way. Until today, I could not get new ones.” Brahim Mahamat, 9, Chadian returnee from Niger.
#4
“My family had a good life in Malam Fatori. Walking for so long and living all you have behind is painful. It is not ok for children or for adults to live like this. We haven’t done anything wrong.” Fatime Saleh, 10, Chadian returnee from Niger.
#5
“There are many islands and swamps in the Lake and the boat was often getting stuck. I don’t know how many times we had to step out and push the boat back in the water. We were all barefoot, I was afraid of snakes.” Sule Ali, 14, Nigerian refugee in Chad.
#6
“We could only see their eyes. They started killing people, 10 or 12 men, I can’t remember. We managed to hide around a swamp. The following day, a boat passed by, we jumped in and left. I lost my slippers on the way.” Hanatu Musa, 14 Nigerian refugee in Chad.
#7
“They were all dressed in black and wore turbans. They destroyed everything. We ran. My feet were badly injured from walking in the bush barefoot with all those thorns. I had to go to the clinic so they could pull them out with pliers” Khadija Kaku, 15, Nigerian refugee in Chad.
#8
“I didn’t have time to take my shoes. I had to walk all the way barefoot on the hot sand. After three days walking, we arrived in a village and sold what we had left in exchange of some cooked rice.” Ahmat Ali Makai, 12, Chadian returnee from Niger.
#9
“The gunshots woke me up. 18 people got killed and everybody was terrified. I could not walk as fast as my brothers, after some days, I was too tired and hungry to walk, especially with these slippers”. Fatime Hassan, 7. Chadian returnee from Niger.
#10
“We are nomads. We were not in the camp when it was attacked by Boko Haram. I was out riding a camel with my father and saw people running away. He told me to start screaming if I saw any danger. The first night I slept on a tree. I was too scared.” Tahar Mohamed, 8, Chadian returnee from Niger.
Connect with us